“People think we only do soups,” Galante says. But they’re about to show us much more than their beloved soups. You’ll be comforted to find their rosemary biscuits on their menu as well as breakfast items, varieties of toast and salads. I’m especially anticipating their Grilled Peaches & Halloumi salad with a white balsamic redux. They’ll also have toasties, which are essentially grilled cheese sandwiches sealed in a pocket—oh dear! “Our whole thing is healthy comfort food,” Galante says. “We’ll use local and organic ingredients when possible.”

When you walk in, you’ll find a to-go area where you can purchase their homemade chicken and beef bone broths, pastries and soups. Among their daily soup specials, they’ll offer their Fall Vegetable Minestrone with savoy cabbage and squash, a Mussels Bowl with Prince Edward Island mussels, beer broth and charred onions and a Chicken Noodle Bowl with buckwheat soba noodles, veggies, ginger and kimchi. They will also house three taps featuring two craft beers and one kombucha.

As their search for a location began in Norfolk, the stars aligned when a spot became available in the shopping center off of 19th Street next to Wareings Gym. Formerly Fresh Fare Cafe, once the spot was sold, Galante and Edwards got the keys two days later on July 1 and haven’t stopped renovating since. All of the countertops and tables will be covered in a beautiful bamboo butcher block. Seating will include 10 bar stools, 7 two tops and a community table that can seat 8–10 people. They are also excited to introduce the addition of a patio!

Along with the Oceanfront location comes the opportunity to be part of the Vibe Creative District. This growing community of vendors spans from contemporary art at the Virginia MOCA to wood-fired pizza at Hearth—each working together to make the Oceanfront a special nook of Hampton Roads. “A lot of new, fresh ideas and owners are changing the landscape of 17th, 18th and 19th Street, and to be able to add our footprint to that culture shift is really exciting and important to us,” Patrick says.

They are looking to open near the beginning of September, so stay tuned for a recap of my taste test!